What is life after death like? Something I've heard
almost nothing about, from people who claim contact with those who are
dead, is either heaven or hell. Most often, what I hear about is people
keeping a sense of themselves - personality, even appearance.

That's what happens
in Caro's Quest. Caro can't see Fluffers, which she finds
very frustrating. She would so much like a good look at a ghost dog – it
would make a great story to tell friends. But there are a few people
who see Fluffers even if they don't want to – and
what they see is Fluffers as she looked in life, a smallish black dog
with a huge bushy tail.

Is that what I believe? What is life after death like,
according to me?

I know what life after death stories are currently most
popular. The most common belief of those around me is that
most people continue after death for a time, then come back onto earth.
That sounds more interesting than floating around in heaven. And it's
sure better than burning forever.

But what do I believe? I'd like to believe
that we continue, and if we feel like it - if it's right for us - that
we come back.

I know what I don't believe. Hell. The biggest
argument against hell is that it doesn't make sense. It makes sense
that lots of angry hateful people would love everyone they don't approve
of to burn in hell forever. It doesn't compute that some very powerful
deity would do this to people - to ordinary people who didn't
follow some commandment or other. Also, as a teacher, I don't see that
eternal torment is a particularly useful way for getting people to learn.
All people want, with pain, is for the pain to stop. By the way, if there
is a hell, it doesn't prove that any of the religions that believe in
it are the true religion, but that there is some particularly nasty deity.

****

There's something else to look at when asking, what
is life after death like? That question: do
animals have anything that lives on?

Also, even when alive, are they worth
anything? Or is animal love some human nuttiness? Click to CONTINUE